(Feature Image: Flooded machines, camps and materials of Satpuli lake project on Aug 06 morning. Credit: Chain Singh Rawat (Junyali), Satpuli)
A flood spell in Nayar river (East) on Aug 6, 2025 morning has affected the ongoing construction work of Satpuli Barrage Project in Pauri district of Uttarakhand. The flood submerged some machines, heavy vehicles, worker camps and huge amount of construction materials, leading to huge losses for the construction company. All these machines, materials and camps were in the riverbed and flood zone of the river, exposing them to flood threats in the peak monsoon.
Over a dozen workers fled their camps after timely alert by the locals, thus avoiding any human injury or casualty in the incident. Some of project resources have been buried in flood muck. However, there is no official information in public domain regarding the losses and damage to the project properties.
Additionally, landslips at the project site posed threats to Pauri road on right and a guest house on the left bank along the river. The project work was going on amid rising water level in the river since Aug 4, 2025. In May 2025 too, a flood spell in Nayar had affected the construction work and inundated project machines and materials.
On the same day, excessive rainfall in Pabo and Thalisain blocks of the Pauri district caused extensive damage to human lives, properties and infrastructures. These blocks are in upper catchment of Nayar river. In Pabo block 2 women were killed in a house collapse incident in Burashi village. While 5 Nepali road workers were washed away and about 10 were injured in flash flood disaster in Thalisain block of the district.
Flood situation at Satpuli lake project on Aug 6, morning.
Missing Safety Measures Of late it is observed that construction work on river-based projects continue during monsoon months and results in avoidable deaths and damages when the projects are affected by sudden deluge. In this case, when Sandeep Morya, Assistant Engineer (AE), Irrigation Department, Srinagar was contacted regarding safety protocols or written guidelines for construction the company during monsoon season, he stated that in agreement document the company is given various instructions to abide by.
The official did not comment on lack of monitoring by the department and why the work was going on in peak flood season but stated that the company will be responsible for any losses and damages occurred due to such incidents. When asked why the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project is not available on the Irrigation Department’s website, the official stated that the document can be shared only after approval from the seniors.
Similarly, the official from Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) Pauri, could not share any written directions or guidelines to government departments and private companies involved in river ‘development’ projects to follow during monsoon months. As per Deepesh Chandra Kala, Head of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Pauri, the department regularly issues instructions asking general public to avoid river banks during flood spells and also alert general public through hooters and sirens.
The official also stated that the disaster management act has several provisions which the concerned departments are supposed to follow. This only shows the prevailing casual approach being followed by responsible government agencies regarding the disaster monitoring and mitigation during monsoon in a highly disaster prone and affected state.
East Nayar Flood History: The Nayar valley is known for violent floods in the history. The most remarkable and deadly flood spell of Sept 14, 1951 in the East Nayar river is still remembered by the riverine people. About 22 buses parked along the river bank in Satpuli were washed away in mid-night hours in that flood disaster killing at least 30 drivers and conductors resting in the buses.
The Satpuli market area was also devasted by the flood disaster which was then shifted to the present location. Some information about the event, names of some deceased persons and government agencies responsible for the disaster can be seen here. A small memorial for the victim of the deluge is built in Simrali place near Satpuli where they are offered homage on Sept 14 annually. Cursing the river, this famous folk song describes the impact of 1951 deluge. The lyrics in Garhwali and its Hindi translation can be seen in this Sept 2022 post by Dr. Subhash Chandra Thaledi and Dr. Arun Kuksal. The song titled
“द्वी हजार आठ (old Hindu calendar) भादों का मास, सतपुली मोटर बोगीन खास।“
“Monsoon month of 1951, several motors (buses) flown away in Satpuli”
Cursing the river a couplet in the song says…
सेई जोला भै–बन्धों बरखा ऐगे, गिड़गिड़ थर–थर सुणेंण लेगे।
‘भादों का मैना रुण–झुण पांणी, हे पापी नयार क्या बात ठाणीं।‘
“Let’s sleep brothers, rain has started, we can hear loud thundering”
“Light rains in monsoon month, oh sinful Nayar what are you upto”
Documenting the incident, the authors also reflect on importance and increasing threats on Nayar including mining, riverbank encroachment and unplanned development works in Satpuli making the town vulnerable to future flood disaster. Interestingly, the author also mentioned Hindi word ‘पनगोला’ (water bomb) for ‘cloudburst’ occurring in Dudhatoli catchment of the river on the intervening night of September 13-14, 1951 resulting in the devasting flashflood.
Recently in 2010, the East Nayar flooded several homes in Satpuli town. In fact, over 50 buildings on riverbank are vacated during every severe flood spell by the administration there.
Satpuli in Hindi means seven bridges. Locals believe that the name is derived from the fact that it comes at the seventh bridge from Gumkhal. The confluence of East and West Nayar rivers is near Badkholu village about 2 km downstream of Satpuli town. The river finally merges into Ganga at Byas ghat in Rishikesh.
The barrage of the lake project is being built hardly 500 meters downstream of Satpuli town. The available information suggests that several riverbank buildings will get affected by the submergence area of the lake. The lake submergence has also potential to trigger slope erosion along the river.
Satpuli Lake Project: The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had laid the foundation stone of the project on Dec 19, 2024. It is located in Satpuli Nagar Panchayat on the bank the Nayar river (East) under Ekeshwar Block about 52 km from district head quarter.
The Irrigation Department has proposed the Rs. 56.34 Cr multipurpose lake project and plans to complete it in 2 years. The 750 m long and 82 m wide lake has 59000 cubic meter storage capacity. The maximum water level in the lake will be 4 meter high. The project plans to support potable water supply, irrigation, fisheries apart from boating and tourism activities.
The project was first proposed in 2017. The Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj had laid foundation stone of Satpuli and Syunsi lake projects through virtual mode in Jan 2022. In July 2024 the Minister stated that the NABARD had approved ₹56.34 cr for the Satpuli lake project and its tender process was completed.
7 More Lake Projects: The Irrigation Department has plan to build 7 such lake project on East & West Nayar rivers in the district for water conservation and tourism development. The locations of 7 lake projects include Lwali, Papadtoli, Satpuli, Paithani, Syunsi, Bironkhal and Markhola. Of these, the Lwali lake has been built at a cost of ₹11.92 cr and work on Satpuli lake project is ongoing.
As per Irrigation Dept, the IIT, Roorkee has prepared the design of these lakes. The DPR for Syunsi lake has been prepared while DPRs for 4 other projects are under preparation.
Meanwhile, this Jan 2018 executive order suggests that the state government had approved about ₹1.9 core for preparation of the DPRs of 09 lake projects in Pauri district.
Taming Ganga’s Wild Rivers: Seeing rustling, vibrant Nayar, the legendary folk singer Narendra Singh Negi in his March 1992 song has compared the rivers with his beloved as…
“रुकदी छ, न सुखदी छ, नयार जनि बगदी छ, वा माया हरी–भरी सी; क्यां सुखे होली आज, रूडी की मैंगरी सी’
“Neither stops, nor withers, you flow like the Nayar, what has dried you up today, like a spring in summer”
Indeed, the Nayar rivers are among the few still free flowing rivers in Ganga basin. The forest fed tributaries perennially feeding the National River also habitats endangered Mahseer fish species. However, now these back-to-back lake projects will dam and degrade the wild streams and cause significant damage to their aquatic diversity. The lake project in Satpuli in particular is making the town vulnerable to flood and erosion threats and damages.
However, the key central, state bodies meant to protect, conserve the Ganga, remain in oblivion to emerging and profound dangers to its feeding streams. Its time the decision makers wake up to increasing flood disasters, lackadaisical mitigation approach, flood history in the Nayar valley and stop damming the rivers which not only will turn the living streams into tamed lakes thus degrading the flowing fresh water eco-system but also invite the risks of another flood disaster in the peaceful and prosperous Nayar valley.
SANDRP
NOTE: Also see: East Nayaar River: The Scenic Stream of Ganga in Trouble
SANDRP 